Televoting in an intelligent network

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for televoting an intelligent network. A point, including a service control function SCF, sends a televoting activation request to a point, including a service switching function SSF, whereby instructions concerning an announcement to be given to a televoter are given in connection with the activation request. The point, including the service switch switching function SSF, counts calls made by users of a telephone network to predetermined telephone numbers and gives an individual televoter an announcement concerning a vote. Information on a number of calls is forwarded to the service control function SCF of the intelligent network. In order for a televoter to be sure that the vote cast has been registered correctly, information on a number dialed by the televoter is added to the information on the announcement to be given to the televoter at the point including the service switching function SSF, and based on this information, a number-specific announcement intended for the televoter is formed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of attachedclaim 1 and an arrangement according to the preamble of attached claim 3for televoting in an intelligent network.

2. Description of Related Art

Fast developments in telecommunications have enabled operators toprovide various services for users. Network architecture offeringadvanced services is called an intelligent network, generallyabbreviated IN. IN architecture can be applied to most telecommunicationnetworks, such as Public Switched Telephone Networks PSTN, mobilecommunication networks, Packet Switched Public Data Networks PSPDN,Integrated Services Digital Networks ISDN and Broadband IntegratedServices Digital Networks B-ISDN. Irrespective of the networktechnology, the object of the intelligent network architecture is tofacilitate the design, control and management of new teleservices. Withregard to present IN specifications, reference is made to AdvancedIntelligent Network, Release 1 (AIN Rel.1) by Bellcore and CapabilitySet 1 (CS-1) by CCITT.

The IN architecture is illustrated by FIG. 1, in which physical entitiesare presented as rectangles or circles and functional entities as ovals.Signalling connections are indicated by dotted lines, and actualtransport, which is e.g. speech, by solid lines. Optional functionalentities are indicated by a dotted line. The signalling network shown inthe figure is a network according to Signalling System No. 7 (SS7, aknown signalling system described in the blue book Specifications ofSignalling System No. 7, Melbourne 1988 of CCITT (now: ITU-T)).

We shall first describe the architecture of the IN physical level.Subscriber equipment SE, such as a telephone, computer or telefax, isconnected either directly to a Service Switching Point SSP or to aNetwork Access Point NAP.

The service switching point SSP offers the user access to the networkand takes care of all the necessary selection activities. The SSP isalso able to detect any requests for service in the intelligent network.Operatively, the SSP contains call management and service selectionfunctions.

The network access point NAP is a conventional exchange that contains aCall Control Function CCF and is able to differentiate betweenconventional calls and calls needing the services provided by theintelligent network and to route the latter to the appropriate SSP, theexchange being e.g. a DX 220 exchange by the assignee.

The Service Control Point SCP contains the service logic programs usedfor providing intelligent network services.

The Service Data Point SDP is a database containing data on the customerand network, the data being used by the service logic programs of theSCP to provide individualized services. The SCP can use the services ofthe SDP either directly or through a signalling network.

An Intelligent Peripheral IP provides special-purpose functions, such asnotifications and voice and multiple choice detection.

A Service Switching and Control Point SSCP comprises an SCP and an SSPin a single node (i.e. if an SSP node shown in the figure comprises bothSCF and SDF entities, it is an SSCP).

The functions of a Service Management Point SMP comprise management ofthe database (SDP), control and testing of the network, and collectionof network information. It can be connected to all other physicalentities.

A Service Creation Environment Point SCEP is used for defining,developing and testing the IN services, and for supplying the servicesto the SMP.

An Adjunct AD corresponds operationally to the service control point SCPbut is connected directly to an SSP by a high-speed data link (e.g. ISDN30B+D connection) and not through a common channel signalling network SSNo. 7.

A Service Node SN can control IN services and transfer data to and fromthe users. It communicates directly with one or more SSPs.

A Service Management Access Point SMAP is a physical entity thatprovides certain users with a connection to the SMP.

To define the function of the different modules in the intelligentnetwork and the restrictions relating to them, the standards (CS-1) alsopresent the intelligent network as a four-plane Intelligent NetworkConceptual Model. One layer of the model forms a so-called DistributedFunctional Plane DFP, which describes the intelligent network asfunctional units in accordance with the above CS-1 standard. Thefollowing is a description of these functional units whose locations areshown in FIG. 1.

The functions relating to call control are SSF, SRF, CCF and CCAF.

A Service Switching Function SSF interconnects a Call Control FunctionCCF and a Service Control Function SCF by allowing the service controlfunction SCF to control the call control function CCF.

A Specialized Resources Function SRF provides specialized resourcesneeded for implementing IN services. Examples for these are changes inprotocol, speech detection, voice messages, etc.

The call control function CCF refers to conventional call and connectionestablishment. A Call Control Agent Function CCAF provides the user withaccess to the network.

The functions relating to service control are SCF and SDF. A ServiceControl Function SCF comprises the IN service logic and attends toservice-bound processing. A Service Data Function SDF provides access toservice-bound and network information, and allows consistent checking ofinformation. The SDF hides from the SCF the actual implementation of theinformation and offers the SCF a logical view of the information.

The functions relating to management are a Service Creation EnvironmentFunction SCEF, Service Management Function SMF and Service ManagementAccess Function SMAF. The SMF comprises supervision of management,maintenance and location of the services; the SMAF provides a connectionto the SMF; and the SCEF makes it possible to define, develop, test andsupply IN services to the SMF.

A request for service made by a calling subscriber typically comprisesan act of picking up the receiver and/or a certain series of numbers.The call control function CCF has no service information, but it isprogrammed to identify the requests for service. The CCF interrupts thecall set-up for a moment and informs the service switching function SSFof the state of the call. The function of the SSF is to interpret therequest for service and the information on the state of the call, toform a standardized request for service and to send the request to theSCF. The SCF receives the request and decodes it. After this, it forms,encodes and sends a standardized response to the SSF. The formation of aresponse may comprise encoding of complicated service logic, starting ofa Prompt and Collect Sequence, or a request to different SDFs. The SSFdecodes and interprets the response sent by the SCF. It then gives theCCF accurate instructions for performing the preparation process. Inaccordance with the IN standard CS-1, the call control function CCFalways bears full responsibility for the condition and control of locallinks.

When a response is sent to an SSF, the service control function SCF mayhave to participate in a conversation between a calling user and an enduser. This normally takes place in the form of the above prompt andcollect sequence, which the SCF authorizes the SRF to perform.Typically, the SCF instructs the SSF to connect the calling user or enduser to a suitable physical source by using the SRF. The source may bee.g. a voice message system. The SCF instructs the SRF in the requiredprompt and collect sequence and subsequently temporarily `freezes` thecall processing. The SRF activates the prompt and collect sequence andparticipates in the conversation between the calling user and the enduser. The response, which may be e.g. an individual ID number, isencoded and returned to the SCF, and the voice connection with the SRFis terminated. After this, the SCF continues its service controlsequence.

In the above, the intelligent network is described briefly so as to makethe following description of the invention clearer even to a reader whois not so well acquainted with the intelligent network. For morespecific details, see e.g. the Q.121X specifications of ITU-T or the AINspecifications of Bellcore.

An intelligent network can offer a large number of different services.The services include e.g. freephone and Account Card Calling ACC, whichmeans that the user can call from any telephone to any number byinserting the number and PIN of his credit card before he inserts thetelephone number.

One service offered by the intelligent network is televoting. Televotingis a feature of the intelligent network in which the subscriber canparticipate in a vote by calling predefined telephone numbers. A votingprocess is then the act of a subscriber dialling an activated televotingnumber and the call being registered as a cast vote at the numberdialled by the subscriber. Other functions involving the subscriberconcerned can also be performed in the same connection. The number isreserved for voting for a single matter/action when the televotingfeature is activated. (An activated televoting feature means that thefunctions enabling the above voting process are provided in the networkfor a certain period of time.)

Televoting employs a specialized service filter by which it is possibleto start to count the calls that meet certain predefined criteria. Thestarting action is performed by the service control function SCF. Theservice switching function SSF, in turn, counts the calls and sends thenumber of the filtered calls to the SCF at predefined intervals.

When televoting is implemented in an intelligent network, the serviceswitching point is instructed by the service control point, inconnection with the activation of a televoting process, about the callcontrol and counting. The instructions concern the processing of a callparticipating in a televote and they contain, for example, instructionsabout the announcement that will be given to a network userparticipating in a televote. In accordance with the IN standards, thevoters are given a single, always similar, voice message. An example forsuch a message is: `You have phoned to a televote on the Eurovision SongContest. Your vote has been registered. Thank you for calling.`

Since the above information is given only once for an entire televotingprocess, it also means that the same announcement will have to be givento a caller irrespective of the alternative that he votes for. Thus aperson participating in a televote cannot be sure that his vote isregistered for the alternative desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above drawback.The object is achieved by a method according to the invention, which ischaracterized by information about the dialed number being added to theannouncement information to be given to the televoter, and based on thedialed number information, a number-specific announcement for thetelevoter being formed. An arrangement according to the invention, inturn, is characterized by the SSF having elements for providing atelevoter with a number-specific announcement based on instructions inan activation request and based on the number dialed by the televoter.

The idea of the invention is also to analyze the B-number dialled by thecaller and to add a B-number-dependent part to the announcement given.This makes it possible to give each televoter a (B-)number-specificannouncement stating the issue voted for, the voting number or part ofthe number or other such information which helps the voter to check thatthe vote cast has been registered for the alternative desired.

The method proposed makes it possible to give the caller a more accurateand individualized announcement. The exemplary message given above, forexample, may thus become: `You have phoned to a televote on theEurovision Song Contest. Your vote has been registered for song number5, LaLaLaa, performed by Jussi & the Boys. Thank you for calling.` Thecaller is hereby notified that his vote has been registered correctly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention and its preferred embodiments will bedescribed in greater detail by examples illustrated in the attacheddrawings, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the architecture of an intelligent network,

FIG. 2 illustrates signalling between a service switching point and aservice control point in an intelligent network,

FIG. 3 illustrates data transmission to a service filter,

FIG. 4 illustrates the basic functions of an exchange,

FIG. 5 illustrates the operating environment of a service filter used ina televote at a service switching point of an intelligent network,

FIGS. 6, 6a and 6b illustrate the process of televoting and thesignalling involved in it, and

FIGS. 7a and 7b illustrate an analysis conducted in an analysis block.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As stated above, a televote is activated at a point (usually an SCP)comprising the service control function SCF, and the calls are countedat a point (usually an SSP) comprising the service switching functionSSF. The SSP and SCP are interconnected by a signalling network SNaccording to the signalling system no. 7 in the manner shown in FIG. 2.In mutual communication, the SSP and SCP usually employ an IntelligentNetwork Application Protocol INAP, which is described in ETSI IN CS1INAP Part 1: Protocol Specification, Draft prETS 300 374-1, November1993 by European Telecommunications Standard Institute ETSI. (Wheremobile telephone traffic is concerned, the INAP layer is replaced with aMAP layer, Mobile Application Part.) In an SS7 protocol stack, which isalso illustrated in FIG. 2, the INAP layer is the uppermost layer,having beneath it a TCAP layer (Transaction Capabilities ApplicationPart), an SCCP layer (Signalling Connection Control Point) and an MTPlayer (Message Transfer Part). During a call made in an intelligentnetwork, there may be one or more INAP dialogs between the SSP and theSCP. Each of these dialogs begins with a predefined initial detectionpoint message (hereinafter: INIT₋₋ DP).

FIG. 4 illustrates data transmission to a service filter. Each layer hasits own process (in the MTP layer the process is indicated by P1, in theSCCP layer by P2, in the TCAP layer by P3, and in the INAP layer by INX)that also handles transmission of messages. The Message Signal Unit MSUof the MTP layer comprises e.g. a Signalling Information Field SIF and aService Information Octet SIO, which are forwarded to the SCCP message.Correspondingly, the process of each layer removes its own header fromthe message received from a lower layer and forwards the actual data toan upper layer. The contents of the messages forwarded to differentlayers will not be described in greater detail herein, since they do notrelate to the actual invention. From the INAP layer, however, it ispossible to forward a televoting activation message to a service filter,the message comprising e.g. the following fields (received from theSCP):

Address of SCP

The address of the SCP that has transmitted the activation message. Thisparameter helps to prevent activation requests sent by different SCPsfrom mixing in the service filter. (For a more detailed description,reference is made to a parallel patent application FI-95xxxx).

Processing of Filtered Call

Functions relating to call control and charging. The field contains e.g.information on what announcement should be given to the caller.

Maximum Number of Counters

The field indicates the number (max. 20) of counters to be reserved fora televoting process. If the voting number is e.g. 9700-1234 and thenumber of counters is 20, it means that the telephone numbers are9700-1234, 9700-1235, 9700-1236, . . . , 9700-1253.

Filtering Mode

Information controlling the operation of the service filter. Either`time slot` or `number of calls` is used. When `time slot` is 0, thenall the calls are re-routed and a report is transmitted. When it is -1,the calls are not re-routed and no report is sent. The other values aretreated as seconds (in the same way as with value 0). The `number ofcalls` indicates which call participating in a televote causesre-routing of the call and transmission of a reporting message. When thevalue is 0, calls are not forwarded and no reports are transmitted.

Period of Televoting

Information indicating the period when a televote is valid (given e.g.in seconds).

Terminating Time

The time when a televote is terminated. If the terminating time isearlier than the present time, a report message will be sent and thetelevote terminated.

Filtering Criteria

Registration criteria for the calls routed to a televote or to beregistered in a televote.

Voting Number

The televoting number--in its entirety--from which the voting numbersbegin.

Starting Time

The time when a televote is started. If the time is earlier than thepresent time or if it has not been set at all, the televote will bestarted immediately. Otherwise, the vote will be started at the definedtime.

The service switching point is typically a digital exchange in which theintelligent network functions are arranged by modifying conventionalcall control software. Every modern exchange like this has the samebasic functions, which can be grouped in accordance with FIG. 4 e.g. asfollows:

1. call control functions CC, including e.g. functions for setting up,maintaining and releasing a call,

2. signalling functions SS, which e.g. match the different signallingsystems with the internal functions of the exchange,

3. switching functions SW, which attend to call switching,

4. functions MNT for maintaining the network and exchange system, and

5. various computer-based functions CS requiring counting, alsoincluding data management, file services and telecommunication softwareof the exchange.

A service filter counting the incoming calls of a televote belongs toitem 5 above. FIG. 5 illustrates the service environment of a servicefilter SEF at a service switching point SSP (or at a point of theintelligent network comprising the corresponding function SCF) bypresenting the operational blocks that are involved in televoting and intransmission of an announcement. The service filter SEF itself isimplemented in the main storage of a computer unit marked with CMU1, thestorage also comprising a service program block CMREAD for charging andbus analyses, communicating with an incoming call control block ICC. Theinterface between the IN functions and the call control is indicated byINIF, and the block (presented in FIG. 3) that provides an interfacetoward the service control point at the service switching point isindicated by INX. Interface block INX thus functions in theabove-described INAP layer. SRE indicates an analysis block thatcontrols both a voice message apparatus 51 and a switching field 52.Operationally, the block essentially corresponds to function SRF definedin the IN specifications.

A voice message apparatus 51 gives the above-mentioned announcements toa network user participating in a televote. The apparatus is alsointended for transmitting speech-form announcements in other situations;it makes it possible, for example, to inform the subscribers why a callis not put through to the telephone number they have dialled, or it canbe utilized when different services, such as an automatic wake-upservice, are offered to the subscribers. A voice message apparatuscomprises a physical unit, or a verbal announcement generator 51a, whichmay be e.g. a card unit inserted in the frame of an exchange and whichcomprises or to which can be connected a memory 51b, in which speech isstored in digitized form. The memory may be e.g. a RAM block on thecircuit board concerned or a hard disk located elsewhere in theexchange, the verbal announcement generator communicating with itthrough a bus that is internal to the exchange. Speech is usually storedin memory as individual units (individual words or parts of a sentence,each stored in its own file), which the apparatus then combines to formwhole sentences. Since a voice message apparatus is known per se, itsstructure or operation will not be described in greater detail herein.

The blocks (CMREAD and SEF) in computer unit CMU1 and the analysis blockSRE belong to item 5 in the above list of functions of the exchange;interface block INIF and INX belong to signalling functions SS; andcontrol block ICC naturally belongs to item 1 (call control).

The charging of the calls routed to the service filter SEF is controlledby the dialled numbers. Different messages may be sent to a userparticipating in a televote or the call may be routed further undercontrol of the SCP.

The management, control and use of a service filter block SEF takeplace, in their entirety, via the message interfaces INX and INIF shownin the figure. Interface INX is used both for transmitting informationon the service filtering from the SCP to the service filter and fortransmitting the reporting information of the service filter back to theSCP. The call control interface INIF is used for transmittinginformation on the call counting (voting process) to the call controlICC. For each separate activated televoting process, the service filterSEF has different, independent and separate functions attending to thetelevoting concerned (the program blocks concerned are copied separatelyfor each activated televoting process). (The act of providing services,i.e. activating a televote, is described in greater detail below.) Theservice filter SEF registers an incoming call by adding to the readingof the corresponding call counter and sends interface INIF acorresponding charging, announcement and release notification caused bythe call. If the call is routed further, the service filter retrievesrouting information from the SCP via application interface INX andreturns it to interface INIF.

The following is a more detailed description of a televoting process.Reference is made to FIG. 6 (which is divided into FIGS. 6a and 6b).

The service switching point has a certain number space (defined by theoperator) reserved for televoting processes (e.g. from number 9700-1111to number 9700-2222). A televoting process is activated as follows (cf.item 1 in FIG. 6a). The signalling block SSI shown in FIG. 6 takes careof signalling (in this case, signalling on the input side) with respectto the telephone network, i.e. signalling from the other exchanges andsubscribers. An example is a televoting process for which the SCPreserves nine consecutive numbers, starting from 9700-1111 andterminating in 9700-1119.

The activation is started by an `ActivateServiceFiltering` request sentby the SCP to interface INX. The request is an INAP message defined inthe standards. On the basis of the information included in the message,interface block INX sends the service filter an activation requestACTIVATE₋₋ FILTER. The service filter then activates the functionsneeded for the televoting concerned. If the activation is successful,the service filter sends a message FILTER₋₋ ACTIVATED, which indicatesthe success. If the call counting function fails to be started, theservice filter sends a message ERROR indicating a failure and alsocontaining the reason for the failed activation.

Televoting is thus activated in the above manner. We shall now move onto study the actual televoting process.

When a service switching point (SSP) receives a call initiating message(e.g. a known IAI message, which is the initiating message of a normalTUP call), the initiating message is converted in the signalling partinto a message CC₋₋ SETUP, which is sent to a call control part ICC,which asks the service block CMREAD to perform a charging and routeanalysis concerning the call by sending a corresponding request(ROU/CHA/R). As a result of the analysis, the call control block ICCreceives a trigger (ROU/CHA/C) from block CMREAD and sends a messageSET₋₋ TR to block INIF. In the information of the trigger, the call isdefined to be supplied to a service filter SEF for processing. Interfaceblock INIF then informs the call control of a successful trigger(message 9, RETURN), and sends the service filter SEF a message INIT₋₋DP, which is the initiating message of the above INAP dialogue andcontains information on the dialled telephone number (B-number). Afterthis, one proceeds to item 3.1, 3.2 or 3.3, depending on the call andthe situation.

One proceeds to item 3.1 in a normal situation where the B-numberbelongs to an activated televoting process (in this example the numberis thus between 9700-1111 and 9700-1119) and the other criteria (e.g.A-number) are also acceptable. The service filter thus registers anincoming call by adding to the reading of the counter activated for theevent and sends interface block INIF a message CONN₋₋ TO₋₋ RE so as tostart an information service (e.g. to give the caller a voice message).In addition, the service filter SEF sends a charging, announcement andcall release notification to block INIF (SEND₋₋ CHAR₋₋ INFO). Afterthis, the service filter gives interface block INIF a command (PLAY₋₋ANN) to give the voice message, audible tone or text message defined inconnection with activating the televoting process (the subscriber thathas called to a televoting number is notified that he is participatingin a televote concerning a specified matter). After the notification,the service filter SEF releases the call by sending a release messageRELEASE₋₋ CALL₋₋ S. The release command is forwarded as a messageRETURN₋₋ R to a call control block. When an error occurs, the releasemessage also contains an error code, which indicates the reason for theerror.

Item 3.2 relates to an additional feature by which certain calls can beprocessed differently from the other calls by requesting the SCP foradditional instructions for processing these calls. A feature like thiscan be used e.g. when one wants to reward some of the calling partiesfor participating in a televote. For example, it is possible to ask theSCP for further instructions at every thousandth call, the SCP thengiving e.g. instructions to forward the call e.g. to a TV studio if thetelevote takes place in a direct TV show. When a televoting process isactivated, it is possible to define when and at what calls furtherinstructions will be requested from the SCP.

When a call meets the above conditions (one moves from item 2 to item3.2), the service filter registers the call by allowing thecorresponding call counter to step and sends a service initiatingrequest SERV₋₋ REQ₋₋ S to block INX, which acknowledges a successfulinitiation by a response SERV₋₋ REQ₋₋ ACK. If the initiation fails, theINX acknowledges by a message SERV₋₋ REQ₋₋ NACK. As a result of asuccessful initiation, the service filter forwards an initiating messageINIT₋₋ DP (message 11 above) received from the interface block to theSCP via block INX. Interface block INX sends the acknowledgement(CONNECT₋₋ S) received from the SCP back to the service filter, whichforwards it to interface block INIF. From then on, the call will beprocessed in accordance with the instructions given by the SCP. As aresult of a failed initiation, the service filter releases the call by amessage RELEASE₋₋ CALL₋₋ S, which also indicates the reason for thefailure.

If, on the other hand, an incoming call is such that not all informationrelating thereto is in line with the filtering criteria, one moves fromitem 2 directly to item 3.3. Such a situation is e.g. a situation wherethe calling number (A-number) is not within the allowed area (e.g. onlysubscribers in a certain geographical area, e.g. a certain town, mayparticipate in the televote). Here the service filter releases the calle.g. by the above release message RELEASE₋₋ CALL₋₋ S.

At certain intervals, the service filter reports the televotingsituation to the SCP. Reporting is preferably performed simultaneouslywhen the call is a call belonging to item 3.2, since the service controlpoint SCP will then be contacted in any case.

Item 4 of FIG. 6b relates to the above-mentioned forwarding of theresults to the SCP. The service filter starts the reporting by sending aservice initiating request SERV₋₋ REQ₋₋ S to block INX, which as aresult of a successful initiation sends an acknowledgement SERV₋₋ REQ₋₋ACK. When the initiation fails, the INX acknowledges by a message SERV₋₋REQ₋₋ NACK, which is provided with an error code. When the initiationfails, the service filter SEF continues to count the calls quitenormally without re-setting the counters to zero. After a successfulinitiation, the service filter sends interface block INX statisticaldata in the next message FILTER₋₋ RESP in accordance with theinstructions given during the activation, the INX forwarding them to theSCP by a `ServiceFilteringResponse` notification defined in thestandards. Block INX sends the service filter an acknowledgement ABORT,which indicates the success/failure of the process of compilingstatistics. After sending an intermediate report and receiving anacknowledgement of a success, the service filter SEF re-sets thecounters counting the calls and re-starts the counting of the calls fromzero. After sending a final report, the call counting feature isterminated and the call counting is considered to have come to an end.

Since the present invention relates only to an announcement given inconnection with a televote, the implementation of a televoting processwill not be described in greater detail herein. For a more detaileddescription of the implementation, reference is made to theabove-mentioned parallel patent application FI-95xxxx.

Since only the INAP message received at the SSP in connection with theactivation of a televote contains information on the announcement to begiven to a caller, the message CONN₋₋ TO₋₋ RE, which is sent by theservice filter to interface block INIF and which starts the sending ofthe announcement, contains only a certain index that is converted in theanalysis block SRE into a certain index internal of the exchange, theindex indicating the file or files of the memory 51b that are to beplayed to the caller. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 by presenting indexIND as the content of the corresponding message, the IND thusrepresenting the index sent by the SCP.

Since the call control block ICC also knows the number that each callerhas dialled, the call control block adds information on the numberconcerned to the message sent to the analysis block SRE concerning theannouncement. This message is indicated by ANN(IND, B-number) in FIG. 5to indicate that the message contains information both on the indexreceived from the SCP and on the number that the caller has dialled(i.e. B-number). The analysis block converts both pieces of informationinto one or more address indices, which identify the files that must beplayed in succession. After this, the analysis block supplies the voicemessage apparatus with a message that contains all the resultant addressindices. The message also contains the number of the output channel onwhich the announcement must be made (the channel may here be a physicalline or one time slot of a PCM line).

For the analysis block SRE is stored an analysis tree by which theaddresses of the files to be presented can be found. The analysis isperformed by advancing at a rate of one index number (or dialledtelephone number) at a time in the tree by studying the content of thefield corresponding to the index number and advancing to the recordindicated by the indicator contained in the field concerned and bystudying the content of the field corresponding to the next index numberin this record, and so on. The field corresponding to the number that isstudied last gives the result of the analysis (the addresses of therecords whose content must be presented). FIG. 7a illustrates analysisof the index number obtained from the SCP, and FIG. 7b illustratesanalysis of the B-number. The analysis tree comprises a data structurecomprising several records 80, each of which comprises e.g. 10 fields,indicated by 0 to 9. In the example illustrated by FIG. 7a, the analysisperformed on index number 98 gives addresses 4, 7 and 8. In the exampleillustrated by FIG. 7b, the analysis performed on B-number (9700-)1119gives address 28. A televoter is thus played an announcement comprisingrecords 4, 7, 8 and 28, the last one giving the caller number-specificinformation. In the simplest solutions, the number-specific announcementonly gives the voting number selected. (There may then be fixedannouncements for the televoting numbers, and so the announcements neednot be changed in accordance with the matter voted for.) Thenumber-specific part may also comprise more than one record.

The analysis block SRE also receives information from the call controlblock ICC on the voice channel to which a subscriber participating in atelevote is connected. The SRE may thus also control the switching fieldby giving instructions to connect the channel concerned to the channelof the voice message apparatus on which the announcement is sent.

The above embodiment can be modified e.g. such that the number-specificpart of the announcement is given first and the general part is givenafter it in accordance with the instructions received from the SCP. Itis also possible that no instructions concerning the announcement arereceived from the SCP, whereby the televoter is given an announcementmerely on the basis of the B-number.

Although the invention is described above with reference to the examplesaccording to the attached drawings, it is clear that the invention isnot limited thereto but can be modified within the inventive ideadisclosed above and in the attached claims. When it is mentioned in theattached claims that instructions concerning the announcement to begiven to a televoter are given in connection with the activationrequest, this is also to be understood to cover a situation where thereis no such field of instructions or where the field is empty and theannouncement is thus formed merely on the basis of the B-number.

I claim:
 1. A method of televoting in an intelligent network,comprising:sending a televoting activation request from a first pointcomprising a service control function to a second point comprising aservice switching function, whereby instructions are given, inconnection with said televoting activation request, about anannouncement to be given to an individual televoter; counting, by saidservice switching function, of a number of calls made by network usersto predetermined telephone numbers and giving said individual televoteran announcement concerning a televoting process; transmittinginformation about said number of calls to said service control functionof said intelligent network; adding information about a number dialed bysaid individual televoter to information on said announcement to begiven to said individual televoter; and forming, based on saidinformation about said number dialed by said individual televoter, anumber-specific announcement intended for said individual televoter. 2.An arrangement for televoting in an intelligent network, comprising:afirst point comprising a service switching function; a second pointcomprising a service control function being arranged to send atelevoting activation request to said first point, whereby instructionsare given, in connection with said televoting activation request, aboutan announcement to be given to an individual televoter, wherein: saidfirst point counts a number of calls made by network users topredetermined telephone numbers and gives said individual televoter saidannouncement concerning a televoting process, information about saidnumber of calls is transmitted to said second point, and said firstpoint comprises elements arranged to provide said individual televoterwith a number-specific announcement based on said instructions given insaid televoting activation request and based on a number dialed by saidindividual televoter.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein saidpredetermined telephone numbers are in a range of dialed numbersreserved for said televoting process in said service switching function.4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:detecting, bysaid service switching function, of a call to a number included in saidrange of dialed numbers.
 5. The method according to claim 3, whereinsaid service switching function counts a number of calls to each of saiddialed numbers in said range of dialed numbers.
 6. The method accordingto claim 1, further comprising:reporting, by said service switchingfunction, of a count of said number of calls at predetermined intervals.7. The method of claim 6, wherein said reporting reports said count ofsaid number of calls only for a plurality of calls.
 8. A method oftelevoting in an intelligent networking, comprising:making a call by anindividual televoter to one of a range of predetermined telephonenumbers reserved for a televoting process in a first point including aservice switching function; sending a televoting activation request froma second point comprising a service control function to said firstpoint, whereby instructions are given, in connection with saidtelevoting activation request, about an announcement to be given to saidindividual televoter; counting, by said service switching function, of anumber of calls made by network users to predetermined telephone numbersand giving said individual televoter an announcement concerning atelevoting process; transmitting information about said number of callsto said service control function of said intelligent network; addinginformation about a number dialed by said individual televoter toinformation on said announcement to be given to said individualtelevoter; forming, based on said information about said number dialedby said individual televoter, a number-specific announcement intendedfor said individual televoter; and giving said announcement, includingsaid number-specific announcement, to said individual televoter duringsaid call.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first point and saidsecond point are included in a signaling network utilizing SignalingSystem Number
 7. 10. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein saidpredetermined telephone numbers are in a range of dialed numbersreserved for said televoting process in said service switching function.11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said serviceswitching function detects a call to a number included in said range ofdialed numbers.
 12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein saidservice switching function counts a number of calls to each of saiddialed numbers in said range of dialed numbers.
 13. The arrangementaccording to claim 2, wherein said service switching function reports acount of said number of calls only for a plurality of calls.
 14. Thearrangement according to claim 2, wherein said first point and saidsecond point are included in a signaling network utilizing SignalingSystem Number 7.